Chahles m



C. M. MHLER.

SHOCK ABSORBER. APPLICATION min AGJQ. 1920.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

.l CHARLES M. MOHLER, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

SHOCK-A BSQRBER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Allg'. 23, 1921.

Application filed August 19, 1920. Serial No. 404,695.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known thatl, CHARLES M. MOHLER, citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in 'the county of Vayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Shock-Absorbers, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionrelates to shock absorbers of the snubber type, for application to the springsand frames of ,vehicles, especially automobiles, to take up or retard the jolt and rebound created by suddenly encounterin a depression or obstacle in the roadway.

or its Aobject this invention has the production of a device of the nature stated, having parts of special construction and arrangement whereby yit is Vbelieved the un pleasant disturbances experienced by riders 'in motor vehicles due to unexpected and more or` less violent movements of such machmes when driven over Vpoor roads are ma- Y A terially mitigated.v

In the accompanying drawings the con` struction. and arrangement kof. the various 25 parts of this invention are illustrated. Fig. l represents a side view of all parts assembled, superficial portions being removed'as upon the broken line l-l of Fig. 2, to disfV close interior members y Fig.` 2 is a rear view of the whole as shown in Fig. l, with an upper portion of the body or box broken away upon the indirect dotted line 2 2 of Fig.- 1.- Fig. 3 is a side view of a modification oflthis inventionshowing all parts assembled, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section .upon the broken line 4--4-of Fig. 3.

Throughout the drawings and description the same character is employed to refer to the same part.

Considering Figs. l and 2, there are shown two arms A and a, disposed angularly or divergently, and provided at their outer ends with bosses B and b whereby the arms may be bolted ivotally to the frame and spring of a vehic e. The arm referred to generally by the lettera comprises two side pieces C and c and the side pieces are connected with the two circular members D and d. The arm A is connected with an annular member E,

and when the two circular or side members assembled form a flat, cylindrical box as best set out in Fig. 2.

Within the box formed by the annular and circular members and arranged against the inner and cylindrical wall of the member E is a friction strip F made of any selected is a flattension or pressure spring h, and the.

end ofthe tension spring is passed through the pivot post' JY of the adjustable arm j, carried by the circular member D, and having its movable end engaging the curved ratchet bar or rack K. The end ofthe tension spring L is secured in place in the post J by a pin c'passing through the post and through the end of the spring., It is believed to be discernable from the drawing that the movement of the adjustable arm J into engagement with different portions of the ratchet arc or bar K will vary the force exerted `by the tension spring 7L upon the free end G of the friction spring f.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a modified form of this invention. The angularly disposed or divergent arms -1 and 2 are connected with rotary body members as before, the construcwith' a circular member comprising the external disk 4 and an inner flanged cup 3l riveted to the disk. Those two pieces form a single member rotated by the arm 2. lBetween the pieces 3V `and 4 as .they are assembled is placed the ring or short cylinder 5, rotated by arm l attached thereto. Next within the ring 5 is the friction spring 6, and between the spring 6 and the outercylindrical surface of the cup 3 1s arranged the friction strip 7. As best shown in Fig. 3, one end 8 of the friction spring 6 is secured by the rivet 9 to the external circular plate 4, which has a suitable extension for that purpose, and the free end 10 of the friction spring 6 engages the end of a tension spring l1 located within the hollow arm l as illustrated. The tension of the spring 1l and the consequent force with which it bears upon the free end of the friction spring may be varied by means of the set screw 12.

ln the operation of this invention, considering Figs. l and 2, assume an obstruction to be suddenly met with causing the arm a to move upwardly, that is to say, having the effect of moving the two arms toward each other. The ends of the friction spring f are brought toward each other and the pressure upon the friction strip F lessened, and the effect of the sudden jolt is correspondingly cushioned and the riders in the vehicle are in a degree protected from the full force or shock. On the vrebound of the vehicle spring the arms separate, Vand `the ends of the friction spring separate also. Now, lthe spring is pressed against the friction strip l? and the rebound movement retarded. The force of such retardation may be controlled to a certain extent by increasing or decreasing vthe pressureof the tension spring L upon the free end of the friction spring f by adjusting the lever y' in engagement with the ratchet Vbar K.

Considering the operation ofthe modification set out in Figs. 3 and a, let it be assumed that a sudden depression is met with andthe arms separate somewhat. The ends of the frictionspring 6 will move apart and lessen the clasp or grip ofthe friction spring on the friction strip 7 whichthe spring surrounds. But, on the reaction when the arms move ltoward each other, the violence of the shock is retarded by the closing of the friction spring upon the friction strip. As in the preferred form of this invention set out in Figs. 1 and 2, the force of the friction spring may be varied by the adjustment of the tension spring, in this modification, by the adjustment of the set screw l2 acting upon the tension spring.

Having now described this invention, and explained the mode of its operation, what I claim Ais l. In a shock absorber, the combination with two arms angularly disposed, of an annular and two circular members connected with the said arms and with each other and being given rotary movements by the said arms, the said members being arranged to form a fiat cylindrical box, a friction strip located within the box formed by said circular and annular members and arranged against the annular member, a friction spring Varranged against the said friction strip and having one free end and one end attached to said circular members, a tension'spring located within said box and having one end bearing against the free end of the said friction spring, and adjustable devices arranged to act upon and to vary the tension of the tension spring.

2. ln a shock absorber, the combination with two arms angularly disposed, of members Vconnected. with the said arms, said members being arranged one upon the other and having rotary movements when the said arms are moved, one of the said members having a cylindrical wall, a -friction strip arranged against the said wall, a friction spring arranged against the said friction strip, said friction spring having one free end and one end connected with one of the said members, a tension spring bearing against lthe said free end of the said friction spring, and devices for varying the Vtension of the tension spring. Y A

3. ln a shock absorber, the combination with two arms angularly disposed, of an annular and a circular member connected with the said arms and with each other and being given rotary movements by said arms, the said annular member having an inner cylindrical wall, a friction strip located against the said wall, a friction spring arranged against the said friction strip and having one free end and one end attached to the said circular member, a'tension spring having one end bearing against the said free end of thc friction spring, and devices connected with the said tension spring and with the said circular member and acting upon the said tension spring to varythe tension of the said spring.

ln testimony whereof I afiiX-my signature.

CHARLES M. MOHLER 

